Guide To Belgium Post Study Work Visa

Belgium provides international students with a high-quality education system, affordable living, and diverse opportunities, attracting a good number of students from all over the world. The students, after graduation, sometimes want to stay back and look for career options in the country. However, a student visa comes with certain limitations and challenges when it comes to offering post-study work rights to international students. To combat these limitations and allow the students to live and search for jobs freely in the country, a post-study work visa was introduced. These visas allow international students to stay back in the country to find employment for upto certain time duration, i.e. 12 months to 24 months. Let’s learn everything about the post-study work visa through the following blog.

What is the Belgium Post-Study Work Visa?

The students who have graduated from Belgium require a new visa to stay in the country after their graduation. A post-study work visa is a visa that allows international students to stay an extra year in the country. This visa is granted to people who have recently graduated from Belgium. It is called the “Year of Research visa”. This visa allows the student to stay in the country for one year after the completion of their education program to look for a job or employment opportunity in the country. The students can look for a job, work in a job, or be self-employed for one year in the country, similar to Belgian citizens.

Types of Belgium Post-Study Work Visa

The Belgian Post Study Work Visa is called the Year of Research permit. When you obtain this permit, you will receive Card A- marked as job search. There are two types of post-study work visas, as mentioned below:

• Research year after completion of studies: This permit is given to you to seek jobs or set up a business after the completion of your studies in Belgium. The permit is given for 1 year. The permit allows you to obtain a work permit and a residence permit.
• Year of job search after search activity: This permit is given after you have completed your research in Belgium. A foreigner can request authorisation for an extension of stay. This permit is also valid for 1 year, and is given for the purpose of employment or to set up a business in Belgium.

Read About: Study In Belgium

Requirements for Research Year After Completion of Studies

If you have recently graduated from Belgium and need the Year of Research (Research year after completion of studies) permit, you need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You must have a student resident permit for your duration of stay in the country as a student
• You have obtained a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a University in Belgium in the previous year
• You must have health insurance for the whole year of your search permit
• You must have sufficient funds to sustain your life in Belgium for the whole year. You must be able to show proof of having 789 EUR each month.
• You must have other documents, such as a valid passport, educational certifications, and  photographs

Application Process for Research Year After Completion of Studies

The application for the Belgium post-study work visa must be made at least 15 days before the expiry of your student visa. You can download the application from the official website of the Belgium government. After that, you can follow the steps as given below:

• Gather the relevant documents, and  send your application to the municipal administration of the place where you are residing in Belgium
• You need to submit these documents before the expiry of your Belgian student visa. That is, at least 15 days before the visa expiry date.
• The municipal administration will inform you regarding the missing documents. You need to submit the missing documents within 15 days. If the documents are not submitted on time, then your application will not be processed.
• The Immigration Office will decide on your application within 90 days. This decision will then be conveyed to the municipal administration.
• If a decision is not arrived at, you will be given a certificate temporarily. This certificate will cover your stay for 45 days. The certificate period can be extended as well.
• If your application is approved, you will receive a card A. It will be marked as ‘job search’. The card will be valid for 1 year.
• If your application is rejected, then you will be asked to leave the country.

Requirements for Year of Job Search After Search Activity

The application for Job Search After Search Activity must be submitted to the municipal administration of the place where you are residing. That is, before the expiration of your Card A. A third-country national needs the following documents for the Belgium post-study work visa/Year of Job Search After Search Activity.

• A  valid passport and proof of fee payment 
• Proof that you have completed research in Belgium
• Proof that you have sufficient funds for the duration of your stay in Belgium. The amount must not be less than the social integration income in Belgium (RIS). 

Application Process for Year of Job Search After Search Activity

To apply for this type of Belgium Post Study Work visa, follow these steps.

Note: Submit the application at least 15 days before the expiry of Card A.

• Visit the official website of the Belgian government, and download the application form
• Gather the relevant documents, and  send your application to the municipal administration of the place where you are residing in Belgium
• You need to submit these documents before the expiry of Card A. That is, at least 15 days before the visa expiry date.
• The municipal administration will inform you in writing regarding the missing documents. You need to submit the missing documents within 15 days. If the documents are not submitted on time, then the Immigration Office will not process your application.
• The Immigration Office will decide within 90 days. This decision will then be conveyed to the municipal administration.
• In case a decision is not arrived at, the researcher will be given a certificate temporarily. This certificate will cover your stay for 45 days. The certificate period can be extended twice.
• Generally, the Belgium post study work visa is given. The only exception is when the researcher does not meet the eligibility criteria, considered a threat to the public health, national security, or order of Belgium.

Benefits of the Belgium Post-Study Work Visa

You get the following access and permits with your post-study work visa in the country:

• You need to actively seek employment that will help you to later apply for a single permit as an employee or meet the legal obligations to set up a business in Belgium.
• While you are seeking employment, you will have unlimited access to the labour market.
• Therefore, during this period, you can work legally.

The immigration Office can cancel your permit if it has been found that you have no reasonable chance of securing a job in Belgium. The permit can also be cancelled if you cannot set up a business.

Belgium Post-Study Work Visa Processing Time 

The Belgium post-study work visa processing time is as follows.

Belgium Post-Study Work Visa Type	Processing time
Research year after completion of studies	90 days
Year of job search after search activity	90 days

In case the processing time for the Belgium Post study work visa is extended, you will receive a certificate that will allow you to stay in the country temporarily (45 days).

Belgium Work Permit

Once you have found yourself a permanent job and your search year is coming to an end, you must apply for a work permit in the country. You need a valid job offer to be able to apply for this work permit. The Belgian work permit costs 108 EUR, and it takes around 8 to 10 weeks to get processed, so the application must be made in a suitable time frame.

Learn more about the Belgium work visas here.

Benefits Of Working In Belgium

Individuals working in Belgium usually have many more benefits in the job market. The following are the benefits of working in Belgium:

• The country provides a very good average pay 
• The average working hours in the country are 38 hours a week
• You get access to the best healthcare and education facilities
• You get a very good quality of life
• There are several retirement and leave benefits provided by the firms in the country
• You get medical insurance

FAQs

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This was all about the Belgium post-study work visa. To read about more such informative topics, follow the Student Visa Archive. To learn about studying abroad, follow Leverage Edu.